Lifespan

Lifespan is a paced euro movie that sets your brain thinking after you have watched the end credits. Shot in the Netherlands with some very nice location shooting locations , perhaps because i live in Europe and know Amsterdam a bit i can relate to the film more. Director Sandy Whitelaw seems with this movie offers Klaus Kinski in a more solid more relaxed part playing the Swiss Man with that European style himself asking and wanting and is prepared to pay for it. This movie has a fresh brisk pace rather like a Autumn morning in Amsterdam Centrum.

As the previous review states, "Lifespan" owes little to the genres of suspense or horror. Instead, it's a brainy, absorbing drama that's rewarding to those who give it a chance. Hiram Keller plays an American scientist picking up on the research of a colleague who committed suicide, and discovers he was on the verge of finding a cure to the aging process. Klaus Kinski is excellent (as always) in a small role as the owner of a sinister pharmaceutical company. The film plays out much like the early works of David Cronenberg (minus the violence and special effects); his fans should appreciate this. The only drawbacks, really, are an ambiguous ending (which actually fits the rest of the film), and the sometimes-corny, self-conscious voice-over narration. 3 stars out of 5.

Apart from featuring Klaus Kinski's name prominently on the DVD-cover, "Lifespan" also caught my attention because there were a lot of Dutch-sounding names in the cast. Indeed so, this bizarre cult co-production entirely takes place in the beautiful city of Amsterdam and the makers admirably took the effort to cast local actors and actresses for the supportive roles. It's a derivative and slow, but nevertheless compelling Sci-Fi/thriller about science's eternal quest for immortality. The ambitious American student Ben Land enrolls into the University of Amsterdam, eager to learn from his idol, Dr. Paul Linden, who allegedly stands on the verge of a medical breakthrough regarding prolonging human life. One day after Land's arrival, however, he finds Linden hanging in a noose from the ceiling (funny how the last thing he said to Land was: "tomorrow I'll be tied up"). With the support of the Dean, the brilliant and stubborn young student deep-dives into Linden's research and discovers successful results on lab mice and dubious experiments in old folks' homes. He also takes over the relationship with Linden's stunningly beautiful mistress Anna and learns about the connection with a mysterious Swiss pharmacist. "Lifespan" is tense and absorbing, but it seriously suffers from a lack of action, and particularly fans of horror & gore will be sorely disappointed! The film was released under the Mondo Macabro label but, like with "Crazy Love", I don't feel it really belongs among the other titles there. As for Klaus Kinski, this was clearly just another easy paycheck for him to cash in. Throughout half of the film, he only stands around and observes Ben Land from a distance. Later on, his role is slightly more extended, and he even gets to fondle ...'s beautiful naked body whilst wearing an antique death mask! You're the man, Klaus!

"Lifespan" is a partially successful film, beset by too naive dramatic turns and dialogues in view of the serious issues addressed in its plot (a young doctor who aspires to immortality and achieve the status of God, while his words reveal a high level of gerontophobia) and gratuitous eroticism that mostly adds to expose the anatomy of the leading lady, a character that contributes little to the plot. However, the film covers several topics concerning the survival of humanity which are strongly current today, making this drama of scientific anticipation (rather than science-fiction) a visionary film, albeit on a small scale. "Lifespan" addresses the global status of drug factories, which are supposed to alleviate humanity's ills. Today financial gain has been imposed upon people's welfare, supported by a "natural selection" of the fittest based on the individuals' riches, which, as anybody knows, are the results of many persons' greed and hoarding of material goods of our planet, which by nature (and elementary philosophical reasoning) belong to everybody. Moreover, "Lifespan" speaks of vanity rather than mankind's need of immortality. The obsession of the three main males in the plot with the pretty and beautiful Anna is a reflection of man's desire to "entrap" this (so overrated) skin-deep stage of life, while the elderly are called "the almost dead". In this age of mutilating surgeries, pseudo- transformations of gender, anatomy and curves, "Lifespan" is very much in force and delights in the beautiful faces and bodies of its dream cast, which reunites three icons of the counterculture beauty of the 1970s: American Hiram Keller, French Tina Aumont and West German Klaus Kinski. If one is a bit tolerant of the limitations I have noted, you will find a high level of inspiration that often reaches moments of fascination, that, although not maintained throughout the duration of the film, constitute a time capsule of an era, of a way of thinking and seeing the world that anticipated how our own would be. Recommendable.

This story is beautifully told and is seen through the eyes of an American doctor Ben Land (Hiram Keller). He travels to Amsterdam to attend a convention on the topic of aging and the lifespan of man. There he sees the celebrated Dr. Linden, an expert on aging who is supposedly close to a breakthrough.

Having forgotten to extend his hotel reservation, Ben finds himself stranded without a place of accommodation. He is helped by Dr. Linden who says that he could move in to his rooms the next day and stay as long as he wished. He also said that his landlady is an old friend of his and that he would have no trouble moving in.

Having a desire to talk to Linden the next day, Land inquires whether he would be available. Linden gives a passing remark that he would be "tied up the next day" and calmly walks off without a word.

The next day he is greeted by the landlady who remarks on the youthful appearance of Ben. Then he is lead to Linden's quarters. On opening the door they are witness to a gruesome scene: Dr. Linden is found hanging from a rope hooked to the ceiling-beam.

What was the reason that caused Linden to hand himself? And what of his secretive research into the process of aging? Had he achieved a success with his experiments?

These are the things you will find out when you seen the film to its eventual end.

This film shows some erotic scenes and is therefore not suitable for children.

The film also stars Klaus Kinski and the beautiful Tina Aumont. The film is directed by Sandy Whitelaw and written by him along with Judith Rascoe and Alva Ruben. The Cinematography is by Eduard van der Enden.

Verdict: 10/10. Add it to your DVD collection.